Original Manuscript Edition-Almost 100 years after the first publication of Debussy's Sonate Pour Flute Alto Et Harpe by Durand et Cie this seminal work in the chamber music literature has been meticulously compared contrasted and corrected against Debussy's handwritten and autographed 1915 manuscript. Using photographs provided by the National Library of France harpist Carl Swanson has documented and corrected nearly 300 discrepancies between the composer's intent and the Durand 1916 edition.The corrections made in this edition consist of musical indications being omitted misplaced or inverted; dynamic markings that are in the manuscriptbut not the printed version have been added wrong and misaligned notes have been corrected musical indications previously omitted in individual parts have been added and intended durations of dynamic and tempo changes have been corrected.Debussy was one of the first composers to make extensive use of musical indications and was extremely meticulous in his scores. To read a score of his with missing misplaced or wrong directions is a significant as reading a score with missing or incorrect notes. Now for the first time in history Debussy's Sonate Pour Flute Alto Et Harpe has been printed exactly as the composer intended.

Sonata for Flute Viola and Harp-The middle work in the three late chamber music sonatas was composed in spring 1915 directly after the Cello sonata (HN 633). The innovative combination of sounds a Wind instrument a Stringed instrument and a Pluckedinstrument greatly contributes to the impression of restrained melancholy. Debussy himself confirmed it saying: ?It is terribly sad. And I do not know whether one should laugh or cry about it? Perhaps both at the sametime?? On another occasion he emphasised the similarities with his own compositional style of the 1890s remarking of the sonata: ?It reminds me of a very old Claude Debussy the one of the Nocturnes?.

Par DEBUSSY CLAUDE / LOUVIER ALAIN (Arr.). Pour l'adorateur de Debussy que je suis depuis la plus rendre enfance, toucher à ces merveilles que sont les Préludes de Claude Debussy fut un cas de conscience. Le séduisant quatuor avec flûte, avec son trio à cordes, permet à un orchestrateur de métier d'infin ies nuances et dégradés : quatre instruments virtuoses, souvent polyphoniques, aux nombreuses irisations de timbre... Cependant, nous n'avons aucun modèle chez Debussy lui-même d'un tel travail, sinon son Quatuor à cordes (très antérieur) et sa Sonate pour flûte, alto et... harpe ! Sans ajouter une harpe (qui possède l'étendue du piano), impossible d'imaginer La Cathédrale Engloutie ou La Terrasse des audiences du clair de lune ... les résonances graves du piano, si poétiques, quasi magiques, ne pourraient être traduites par quatre instruments non résonants. J'ai donc dû choisir peu de Préludes, ne voulant pas trahir Debussy. Après une écoute intérieure très exigeante, et en me permettant, à la rigueur, quelques brèves octaviations de l'extrême-grave du piano, je me suis limité à six, trois dans chaque livre: 1er livre : - Des Pas sur la neige (n° 6) - La Sérénade interrompue (n° 9) - Minstrels (n° 12) 2e livre: - Bruyères (n°5) - Hommage à Sir Pickwick PPMPC (n° 9) - Canope (n° 10) Très vite, j'ai compris que partir du son-piano était une erreur; il valait mieux imaginer le Debussy des années 1910 orchestrant ces pièces pour une grande formation (du type Ibéria ou Jeux), puis réduire pour un petit orchestre de quatre instruments. D'où l'emploi de batteries (même à la flûte), de trémolos, de doublures étranges pour simuler les timbres absents, créer des illusions de polyphonie, si prisées des orchestrateurs français. J'espère n'en avoir pas abusé; j'ai essayé de mettre dans ces transcriptions toute l'imagination - tous les sons improbables - que Debussy aurait lui-même recherchés. Alain WlMER/ Répertoire / Flûte et Trio à Cordes

Sunrise was commissioned by Backshore Artists Project Inc. on the occasion of Carol Wincenc’s 40th anniversary on the concert stage and underwritten by a generous grant from Linda and Stuart Nelson.The work is dedicated to Carol Wincenc for this very special occasion.It starts slowly with the bass flute leading a dark dream-like section with a theme that is marked rubato seductive. The viola echoes this melody but ties to move it to another key. Eventually the tempo quickens as the harp adds a new theme which the others soon copy.A new section svegliato (awakening) follows where the harp and viola encourage the flute to join them in a sprightly scherzo whichgrows to a climax to herald the sunrise. Here the viola leads with a glowing theme. After the flute has echoed this melody the mood quietens and in a peaceful coda the flute ‘remembers’ the theme from the very opening: it is now bathed in sunlight and is marked luminous.

The years between 1900 and 1925 in Paris were some of the most fruitful in the history of harp repertoire. Debussy?s ?Danses sacree et profane? and his ?Sonate pour flute, alto, et harpe,? Caplet?s ?Masque of the Red Death? and his ?Two Divertissements,? Gabriel Pierne?s ?Concertstucke? and ?Impromptu caprice,? and Ravel?s ?Introduction et Allegro? were among the many important compositions written during this period. Many harpists would give pride of place in this list, however, to Gabriel Faure?s ?Impromptu? and ?Une chatelaine en sa tour.?? now published here in one volume for the first time. These are both essentials for every serious student of the harp.